ARTE To Gain Transponder

European cultural channel ARTE is set to transfer to its analogue transponder on Astra (19.2 degrees East) on Oct. 1. According to the Strasbourg-based channel, the move will enable around 12.5 million analogue direct-to-home (DTH) customers in Germany to gain access to ARTE’s daytime programmes.

Until now, ARTE has been sharing its analogue Astra capacity with KI.KA, the children’s channel operated by German public broadcasters ARD and ZDF. KI.KA has handed over the transponder to ARTE each evening at 19.00 CET. The cultural channel’s daytime programmes have thus far only been available to digital viewers. Sources at ARTE told Interspace that the new home will be transponder 35 (10.994 GHz H). The contract with satellite operator SES Astra is expected to be signed at the end of September.

The cancellation of the channel-sharing agreement allows KI.KA to pursue its long-term plans of extending transmission hours into the evening. Beginning Jan. 1, the Erfurt- based channel will screen programmes between 19.00 and 21.00 CET targeting older children, a move that will, for the first time, enable KI.KA to compete with commercial children’s channels in the evening.

–Jorn Krieger

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